Amusement apparatus



Jan. 12, 1943. J. F. COURTNEY l '2,307,737

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed oct. e, 1941 4 sheets-sheet 1 www Jam 12, l943- J. F. coURTNEY 2,307,737

AMUSEMENT lAPPARATUS Filed oct. e, 1941 4 sheets-'sheet 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 aso ` INVENOR. John F Courinrey. 'BY' v MFL,

Jan. 12, 1943. J. F.YCOURTNEY AMUSEMENT AlPARATUS Filed oct. e, 1941 7 a .2 a a a 3 o M u 7 w 3 l 5 s m a 4 4 n l 5 6 o l 2 ,h 5 Nfl M 0 -l 3 H E .W m! w 9 a 51 w... 6 5 l n s 1 dvi I/NM w la l l r. .I r. l. l III a 5 .6 ...H1 4 ../Y .2 I Lw.) .if 1 4\3 5 o l. .Mf 6 l e 5 2\ )j 4 5 6 Q a .www u ,E m fw Patented Jan. 12, 1943 liJNirEp STATES orrice i 2,307,737 AMUSEMENT APPARATUS John F. Courtney, Florence, S. C., assignor of onethird to Curtis J. Velare, Crystal River, Fla.,

and one-third to Andrew E. Markham, Chicago, Ill.

7 Claims.

apparatus and more particularly to a passenger carrying Rock-O-Plane for amusement parks and the like.

One of thek objects of my invention is to provide an amusement apparatus for driving passenger carrying cars in repeated circular and substantially sinusoidal paths for imparting motion to passengers in a composite repeated circular path in a substantially horizontal plane and a sinusoidal plane.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of amusement apparatus constituted by a central tower structure having a mulpath in a substantially vertical tiplicity of radially extending arms hingedly connected adjacent the base of the tower structure and having means for raising one pair of arms in diametrically opposed positions while lowering another pair of arms in balanced relation, each of the arms supporting whereby alternate rising and falling motion is imparted to the cars.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of Rock-O-Plane for amusement parks in which passenger controlled, by a rotatable tower for repeated movement in a circular path which progressively increases in altitude for imparting wave-like motion to passengers occupying the passenger carrying cars.

passenger carrying cars carrying cars are A further object of my invention is to pro- Y vide a construction of structural tower for amusement park apparatus having means for solidly supporting the tower while effecting rotation of the tower for moving a multiplicity of passenger f carrying cars in a substantially circular path in combination with means within the tower for variably controlling the elevation of the passenger carrying cars as the cars progressively rotate.

A still further object of my invention'is to provide a construction of amusement apparatus including a vertically extending rotatably driven tower having means within the tower for controlling the angular position of a multiplicity of arms hingedly connected adjacent the base of the tower, the arms each supporting passenger carrying cars which are caused to repeatedly move in a substantially sinusoidal curved path, the arrangement of arms being such-that cars in diametrically opposed positions with respect 1 to the tower occupy at all times the same elevation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of control tower for an amusepassenger carrying cars supported adjacent the extremities of the several arms.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction and arrangement of amusement apparatus as set forth more fully i inthe specincation hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the amusement apparatus showing the passenger carrying cars supported by the radially extending arms hingedly. connected to the base of the rotatable tower and showing in sidevelevation in full lines the position of the arms when the passenger carrying cars are in lowered position and showing in dotted lines in side elevation the position of the arms when the passenger carrying oars are in raised position; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the amusement apparatus showing the position of the hingedly connected arms when the passenger carrying cars are in elevated position with the side elevational position of the arms shown in dotted lines when in lowered .position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base mounting structure for the rotatable tower and tower driving mechanism; Fig.. i is a vertical sectional View taken through the tower structure and i1- lustrating the mechanism employed for multiplying the power of the drive mechanism for raising and lowering the arms which support the passenger carrying cars and also illustrating the mechanism provided for rotating the tower structure, the view being taken substantially on line 13-d of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the tower taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a theoretical expanded view illustrating the direction of travel of each of the passengercarrying cars, it being understood that the cars follow a composite path of travel in a circular direction simultaneously with the raising and lowering of the cars in the pathill'ustrated in Fig. 6. i

My invention is directed to an amusement apparatus I have termed the Rock-O-Plane. A vertically extending self-sustaining tower constructed from rigid structural members is journalled centrally of a horizontally extending base structure. The base structure extends transversely over a suiiicient area to insure solid support for the tower and provides mounting means for the driving mechanism by which the tower is rotated. The tower includes a supporting table arranged centrally of the base thereof with means extending adjacent thereto for establishing hinged connection with radially extending arms. The radially extending arms each have cables extending from positions adjacent the extremities thereof over sheaves journalled adjacent the top of the tower and extending to power multiplying mechanism within the tower. Driving mechanism is supported on the table within the base of the tower and imparts movement to the mechanism within the tower for raising one pair of diametrically opposed radially extending arms while lowering another pair of radially extending arms. This operation is accomplished through an arrangement of power multiplying cables and cable blocks while maintaining the movement of the arms in balanced condition at all times. Passenger carrying cars suspended from positions adjacent the outer extremities of the arms thus execute a composite path of travel which is circular in a substantially horizontal plane and sinusoidal in a vertical plane, the path of travel repeating upon itself. Passengers in the passenger carrying cars thus enjoying both a rocking and circular movement which is exhilarating and entertaining.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character I designates a plurality of radially extending structural members constituting mud sills forming a foundation for the base 2 of the tower structure. The base 2 includes a lower transverse frame member 3 and an upper transverse frame member 4 secured to the vertically extending structural members forming part of the base 2. Portions of the loop bar 5 interconnect connecting members 5 secured to the structural members constituting the mud sills I. A

turn buckle 1 is included in one portion of the loop bar 5 for taking up slack in the portions of the loop bar 5 and reenforcing the several mud sills. A machinery truss 8 extends between two of the structural members constituting the mud sills I immediately above the machinery base 9.

A bearing support I9 is provided extending 'transversely of the base 2 at the foundation. The bearing support I9 provides a mounting means for the end bearing II. A thrust bearing I2 is `arranged within the end bearing II for receiving and rotatably supporting the stub shaft I4 which seats against the thrust bearing I2. The stub shaft I4 has a shoulder thereon against which the hollow vertically extending shaft I5 abuts. A pin connection I6 is provided between the hollow vertical shaft I5 and the stub shaft I4. The vertically extending hollow shaft I5 has a sprocket wheel I1 keyed thereto and operating in a substantially horizontal plane. A sleeve bearing I8 is provided for journalling the hollow shaft I5. A spacing sleeve I9 is disposed between sleeve bearing I8 and the sprocket wheel I1. A transverse member 29 is carried by the upper transverse frame 4 and maintains the sleeve bearing I8 centrally of the base 2 in such position that the hollow vertical shaft I5 may 'be rotatably driven between the journals provided by sleeve bearing i3 and the end thrust bearing II and I2.

A drive chain 2i engages the sprocket wheel I1 and is driven from a gear carried by the shaft extending from the speed reduction gear drive 22. The clutch and reverse drive mechanism illustrated at 23 serves to control the operation of the speed reduction gear 22 which is driven from motor 25. The control lever 24 operated through suitable clutch control rod 25 controls the engagement of the driving shaft of motor 26 with the speed reduction gear 22. Thus the speed reduction gear may be driven clockwise or counterclockwise by shifting the position of the clutch control rod 25. For speeds of 1160 R. P. M. at the motor, the sprocket 21 on the shaft of the speed reduction gear 22 is driven, for example, at 32 R. P. M. By reason of the relationship of the diameters of the sprocket wheel 21 on the shaft of speed reduction gear 22 and sprocket wheel I1, rotation is imparted to hollow shaft I5 at a rate, for example, of 10 R. P. M. I have merely cited these figures for purposes of illustration and it will be understood that the tower may be rotated at any selected predetermined speed for suitably arranging the relationship and proportion of the speed reduction mechanism 22 to the sprocket 21 and by selecting the proportion of sprocket I1 with respect thereto.

The vertically extending hollow shaft I5 is provided with a pair o-f ange members 23 and 2S disposed at -spaced intervals thereon as shown more particularly in Fig. 4. The flange members 28 and 29 serve as supporting means for a rotatable turn-table which I have represented generally at 39. The rotatable turn-table 30 includes a substantially polygonal shaped frame 3I to which there is connected transverse extending upper plate 32 and lower plate 33. The flanges 29 and 23 on shaft 5 connect respectively with upper plate 32 and lower plate 33 for supporting the tower structure in rotative position with respect to base 2.

The transversely extending upper plate 32 serves as a foundation for the drive mechanism which operates the several hingedly connected arms of the tower structure as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The plate 32 supports the driving motor 34. having the shaft thereof coupled to the speed reduction gear box 35 through coupling indicated at 35. The gear box 35 has a shaft 31 extending therefrom carrying sprocket wheel 38. The arrangement of the gears in gear box 35 is such that for 1160 R. P. M.. delivered by motor 34, approximately 23.2 R. P. M. is delivered by sprocket 38. The sprocket 38 drives chain 39 which meshes with gear 40 arranged on crankshaft 4l. Crankshaft 4I is journalled in sleeve bearing 42 which is suspended from transversely disposed structural members 43 of the tower structure 44. The tower structure 44 comprises vertically extending structural members 45 which extend relatively parallel for a portion of their length immediately above the platform 32 and which taper throughout the remaining portion of their length to the top section illustrated at 46. The structural members constituting the tower are iirmly anchored to the frame 30 above the top plate 32 by means of the angle member 41 which firmly secures the lower ends of the structural members 45. The transversely extending structural members 43 are secured to the structural members 48 which form the rst transverse reenforcement of the tower structure. Successive reenforcements for the tapered portion of the tower structure are provided about structural' members 45 as represented at 49, 50 and 5| by which a rigid tower structure is assured. The mechanism within the hollow tower is so balanced that a state of equilibrium is continuously maintained as the tower is rotated. The upper portion of the tower serves to journal and support a multiplicity of sheaves which I have illustrated at 52, 53, 54 and 55.

These sheaves are mounted adjacent the top of the tower for guiding cables from the operating mechanism within the tower to the extremities of the arms 56, 51, 58 and 59. The arms 56, 51, 58 and 59 are hingedly connected adjacent the base of the tower to radially projecting plates connected to the structural frame members of turn-table 3D as represented at 55a, 51a, 581' and 59a.

I have shown the cables grouped in pairs for controlling diametrioally opposite arms in balanced relation. The arms e and 51 connect through cables G and 5 i, respectively, the cables operating over sheaves 52 and 53 and extending over the sheaves of cable block S2 and around the pulleys 63. The cable block G2 is arranged to slide up and down Within the channelway 64. The cables 55 and 6I extend around the several sheaves 62a, 62h, 62o and 62d in the cable block 62 and around the pulleys 63a, 63h, 63o and 63d journalled on shaft 55 adjacent the top of the tower and fasten at 68 to the cable block 52. Thus the lifting force is increased by the arrangement of pulleys according to the formula: F=Vsz W/V6o=W/u=load/number of cables; wherein W is the net weight of the cars and passengers to be raised on the load; and n represents the number of cables interconnecting the set of pulleys 63 and the cable `block 52; V62 represents the velocity of the cable block 62 and Ven represents the Velocity of the passenger carrying cars in a vertical path. Within certain limits the number of cables may be increased for increasing the lifting force; V62 and Veo being the respective velocities of W and F.

The arms 5S and 51 hingedly connected with the tower at 56a and 51a support in suspended position the passenger carrying cars 61 and 68 while arms 53 and 59 support in suspended position the passenger carrying cars 59 and 1B. Suitable transversely extending structural members 56b, 51h and 58h, etc., are arranged adjacent the extremities of the arms for properly spacing the suspension means for properly suspending the passenger carrying cars. The arms 58 and 59 are connected adjacent the extremities by cables 1| and 12 which are guided by pulleys 54 and 55 and extend around the sheaves of the cable block 13 and around the pulleys 1d, fastening at 1G to the cable block 13. The cable block 13 slides vertically in the channel Tl for the purpose of raising and lowering the passenger carrying cars 69 and 10. The cable block 13 operates in channel 14 in opposite `balanced relation to the movement of Acable bloc-k 62 in channel 8d. For the purpose of multiplying the force applied to raising and lowering the passenger carrying cars, a operation in channels S4 and 14, respectively, multiplicity of sheaves 13a, 13b, 13C and 13d are provided in the cable block 13 and a corresponding number of pulleys 14a, 14h, 14o and 'Md are journalled on shaft S5 for guiding the cables.

The cable blocks 62 and 13 are so mounted for that cable block 13 reaches its upper limit of travel in channel 14 and cable block 52 reaches lower limit of travel in channel 6d. Members 11 separate the paths of travel of cable blocks 13 and 62 so that these cable blocks reciprocate up and down under control of forces applied thereto by the crankshaft l!! driven by motor 34 as heretofore explained Crankshaft 4i has crank arms 18 and 19 extending therefrom and which are pivotally connected at their extremities as indicated at Si) and 8l, respectively, to links 82 and 83 which are in turn pivotally connected at 84 and 85, respectively, to the cable blocks 62 and 13. VInasmuch as the crank arms 18 and 19 are displaced 180 with respect to each other the forces that are imparted to theA cable blocks 62 and 13 respectively, through links 82 and 83 arg-balanced and are substantially equal and opposite. Accordingly, while one cable block is being raised for lowering the passenger carrying cars associated with the arms controlled thereby, the other cable block is being lowered for elevating the passenger carrying cars supported by the arms controlled by the last mentioned cable block. Thus the passenger carrying cars follow a sinusoidal path as represented in Fig. 6, the diametrioally opposite passenger carrying cars 61 and 68 occupying, for example, the position 61a and 68a in Fig. 6, while the passenger carrying cars 65! and 1t occupy the .position indicated at 69a and lila. As the tower rotates the cars 61 and 68 move to the position illustrated at 61a' and 68a while cars 59 'and 10 move to the position illustrated at 55a and 10a. As the rotation of the tower progresses cars 61 and S8 move to the position 51a" and 68a while cars 59 and 1i) move to the position 69a" and 10a, etc.

It will be observed that the driving motors 26 and 34 are independent of eachother so that the operator of the amusement apparatus may control motor 26 alone to rotate the tower, either to the right or to the left without operating motor 34 at all. Motor Sli may be operated independently of motor 2S to produce rising and falling movement of the passenger carrying cars without moving the cars in a rotating path. Thus the operator of the apparatus can produce additional thrills to patrons by lifting and lowering the four arms without the center tower revolving. 'Ihe operator can control the revolution of the tower without lowering or raising the arms which would cause the patro-n to experience a gliding sensation. The arms and the tower can be operated simultaneously for producing several motions in the travel of the passenger carrying cars. The construction of the tower and the arrangement of the arms is such that there is no obstruction to the view of passengers in one car with respect to passengers in the other cars.

The passenger loading and unloading station is located at one of the positions at which` the passenger carrying cars reach their lowest elevation. The loading and unloading platform maybe partially supported by structural members extending from the base l or the loading or unloading platform may be independently mounted at one of the low positions of the pasp senger carrying cars.

I `have found the structure of my invention highly practical in its operation. I realize that modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the tower and operating parts and while I have described my invention in one of its preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotation, a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms connected adjacent the base of said tower, passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, rotatably driven crank mechanism within said hollow tower adjacent the base thereof, cables interconnecting said crank mechanism with the ends of said arms, and means for successively changing the angular relationship of diametrically oppositearms with respect to said tower as said tower is progressively rotated.

2. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotation, a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms connected adjacent the base of said tower, passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, rotatably driven crank mechanism within said hollow tower adjacent the base thereof, cables interconnecting said crank mechanism with the ends of said arms, and means interposed between said cables and said crank mechanism for multiplying the power exerted by said crank mechanism for effecting change in the angular relationship of diametrically opposite arms with respect to said tower as said tower is progressively rotated.

3. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotationy a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms'connected adjacent the base of said tower,

passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, rotatably driven crank mechanism within said hollow tower adjacent the base thereof, cables interconnecting said crank mechanism with the ends of said arms, and a multiplicity of cables and coacting sheaves and I blocks interposed between the aforesaid cables and said crank mechanism for multiplying the power effective for stuccessively changing the angulartrelationship of diametrically opposite arms with respect to said tower as said tower is propressively rotated.

4. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotation, a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms connected adjacent the base of said tower, passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, rotatably driven crank mechanism within said hollow tower adjacent the base thereof, cables interconnecting said crank mechanism with the ends of said arms, a pair of channelways located above said crank mechanism, a multiplicity of cables and coasting cable sheaves and blocks operative in each of said channelways and disposed intermediate the aforesaid cables and said crank mechanism, said cable blocks being movable in opposite directions in the respective channelways for successively changing the angular relationship of diametri- 'dii cally opposite arms with respect to said tower as said tower is progressively rotated.

5. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotation, a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms connected adjacent the base of said tower, passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, rotatably driven crank mechanism within said hollow tower adjacent the base thereof, crank arms displaced 180 with respect to each other and operated by said crank mechanism, means interconnecting said crank arms with the ends of said radially extending hinged arms comprising sets of cable sheaves and blocks, and a multiplicity of cables extending therebetween, said cable blocks being movable through said tower for successively changing the angular relationship of diametrically opposite arms with respect to said tower as said tower is progressively rotated.

6. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotation, a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms connected adjacent the base of said tower, passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, a rotatable balanced crank mechanism journalled within said tower and in- Y cluding arms spaced 180 with respect to each other, links pivotally connected with the ends of said arms, cable blocks pivotally connected with the ends of said links, cable sheaves journalled adjacent the top of said tower, a multiplicity of fcables interconnecting said cable sheaves and blocks and said cables being connected with said hinged arms for alternately raising and lowering diametrically opposite arms in balanced relation `for raising and lowering the passenger carrying cars suspended by said arms.

7. In an amusement apparatus, a vertically extending rotatable hollow tower, a vertically journaled shaft for supporting said tower for rotation, a multiplicity of radially extending hinged arms connected adjacent the base-of said tower, passenger carrying cars suspended on the ends of each of said arms, a frame member extending vertically within said tower and dividing said tower into vertically disposed channelways, rotatably driven crank mechanism within said tower having oppositely extending arms centrally aligned with said channelways and means controlled by said last mentioned arms and operative in said channelways for controlling the raising and lowering of said rst mentioned arms for alternately raising and lowering the passenger carrying cars suspended from the ends thereof.

JOHN F. COURTNEY. 

